extreme Catholic 

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Ted Cassidy played Lurch. The Addams Family ran from 1964-1966

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 9:37 AM   Permalink  

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - In remarks that could influence the U.S. presidential race, a top Vatican cardinal said on Friday that a Catholic politician who unambiguously supports abortion should be denied communion at Mass.

The cardinal spoke amid a debate in the United States over whether Democrat John Kerry should be denied communion, which Catholics believe is the body of Christ, because he supports abortion rights.

At a news conference presenting a Vatican document restating standing rules about the celebration of Mass, Cardinal Francis Arnize was reminded of the Kerry case and asked if a priest should refuse communion to a politician who is unambiguously pro-abortion.

"Yes," he answered. "If the person should not receive it, then it should not be given. Objectively, the answer is there."

Your move, USCCB.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 12:03 PM   Permalink  

I'm on the 8th floor overlooking 5th Ave. and there's a machine that's operating above a street manhole that is so loud, I can't concentrate.

No one around me can work or even talk.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 11:52 AM   Permalink  

After three days spent discussing the environment, the Democratic presidential candidate scheduled a rally Friday with leaders of women's groups to compare his stand on abortion with what he says are President Bush's extreme anti-abortion positions.

extreme anti-abortion. I like the sound of that.

A private low-key photo-op with a prince of the Church -- then off to a high-profile public rally with the abortion advocates.

That's CINO John Kerry.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:31 AM   Permalink  

(1) I wonder if the families of these dead soldiers support the idea of these coffins being displayed to make anti-war propaganda? Is anyone in the media going to ask that question?

(2) When will the media show us the pictures which they have in their own libraries of the coffins of the victims of 9/11 and the pictures they have never shown of victims of 9/11 on fire or jumping from the buildings before they fell.

What's the media theme of the week? Remember Vietnam or Remember 9/11?

al Qaeda has not been crushed. If we think this is Vietnam, then when the last building in New York or Washington is encircled by terrorists as the American embassy was encircled in Saigon -- where are WE going to fly off to in the helicopter?

The war on terror needs to be fought or we will be under the thumbs of bin Laden and his successors.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:13 AM   Permalink  

It all happened in degrees. The first Catholic politicians said "we've got to follow the decision of the Supreme Court".

Then it became "we've got to follow the opinion polls of our constituents in support abortion."

And later, it became "an established, fundamental, and sacred right for choice".

While this was going on leadership of the pro-life movement moved from bishops to priests and lay persons. Inexpicably (at least to me), the bishops began to show indifference and hostility to the pro-life movement.

Early on, it was taken for granted that politicians weren't performing the abortions and therefore not excommunicated by that act itself according to canon law. As to the immorality and the sin of it all, that was a matter reserved to the conscience.

Just as candidate John Kennedy separated faith from action, Mario Cuomo was the champion of the separation from personal choice (against abortion) and for public policy (for abortion).

Fast Forward 30 Years

Catholic politicians have acquired a sense that they are entitled to call themselves Catholic while being opposed to the Church teachings on life. I think the original fault of the bishops class of '73 was to be silent on the sinfulness of the advocacy of abortion in the political domain.

Now that the a handful of the bishops class of '04 have begun to speak out, the cry is "Game over." The reality of the evil of abortion and the sinfulness of its advocacy is on the front burner of Catholic media.

I think everyone will follow Kerry's lead on this: he is the highest Catholic official in the country now as a presidential nominess. His position is "I'm Catholic and Pius XXIII said that conscience is the ultimate authority." No one is laughing because he's only repeating the status quo position of the politicians. Many Catholics agree: what's the problem with being Catholic and proudly pro-choice (provided that I personally don't have an abortion).

The real choice is to be honest enough to admit that one can not be simultaneously an abortion advocate and a Catholic. Choose one.

Pray for today's bishops to show the spine to educate Kerry and the Catholics of the United States. They are certain to hear (as they have heard): stay out of politics.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 5:11 PM   Permalink  

In the face of Islam's infatuation with terror and religious imperialism – perhaps the biggest threat to Western civilization since World War II – Catholic prelates seem afflicted with a severe case of moral confusion, as recent statements demonstrate.

On April 10, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, told Britain's GMTV that he agreed with Lord Carey, the former archbishop of Canterbury, who criticized moderate Muslims for failing to condemn terrorism in Allah's name.

At the same time O'Connor said the West must confront what he believes to be terrorism's root causes: poverty and inequality.

Apparently, O'Connor forgot that Yasser Arafat, Ayman Al-Zawahiri and Muhammad Atta came from the professional classes – and that Osama bin Laden is a multimillionaire.

On April 8, Vatican Cardinal Renato Martino – who expressed sympathy for Saddam Hussein upon his capture – told Italy's La Stampa that a United Nations peacekeeping force should replace the current coalition force in Iraq led by the United States.

Martino, the Vatican's observer at the UN for 12 years before becoming president of the Pontifical Council for Peace and Justice, believes the UN can repeat its master stroke in resolving Kosovo, as well as its stunning success in the Middle East.

On April 5, Bishop Javier Echevarria, the prelate of Opus Dei – an organization fervently loyal to the papacy – told the Zenit news service that Christians should love terrorists by praying for their conversion and redemption.

Echevarria follows the example of Pope John Paul II, who commemorated the anniversary of the September 11 attacks two years ago by asking God to show mercy to the perpetrators as well as to the victims.

In his enthusiasm the pope apparently forgot that repentance comes before forgiveness, that the dead cannot repent, and that Atta and his fellow shahids would likely view repentance for their barbarism as apostasy.

On the same day Echevarria spoke to Zenit, Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci released her latest book The Strength of Reason, which bluntly describes the threat of Islamic influence in Europe.

Fallaci not only calls Europe "a province of Islam" and "Eurabia;" she condemns the Catholic Church for its silence "even when its symbols are offended by Muslims and before such practices as polygamy and torture," an Associated Press report stated.

Civilita Cattolica, the official magazine of the Vatican's secretariat of state, perfectly reflects the intellectual schizophrenia among Rome's elite.

For most of 2003 Civilita Cattolica condemned the war in Iraq. Then, in October, it published equally scathing criticisms of jihad and of Islam's historical behavior from the senior editor, Fr. Giuseppe De Rosa.

"In all of its history, Islam has shown a warlike face and a conquering spirit for the glory of Allah," De Rosa wrote. "In all the places where Islam imposed itself by military force, which has few parallels for its rapidity and breath, Christianity practically disappeared or was reduced to tiny islands in an endless Islamic sea.

"For almost 1,000 years, Europe was under constant threat from Islam, which twice put its survival in serious danger."

Christians and Jews living in Muslim societies "belong to an inferior social order," De Rosa wrote. They must pay special taxes and cannot build new houses of worship, marry the daughters of Muslims, testify in trials between Muslims or inherit from Muslims.

Yet in February, Civilita Cattolica's vice-director and political commentator, Fr. Michele Simone, condemned efforts to teach Muslims democracy as "particularly offensive to the Muslim community."

For Simone, invading Iraq "lent support to the impression that the West... intends a new colonization of Islamic countries, aimed at taking control of their oil, on the pretext of wanting to bring 'democracy'... without realizing that, at least for Islamic fundamentalism, 'democracy' takes the sovereignty away from Allah and transfers it to the 'people,' which for a Muslim believer is an act of 'impiety.' "

Some may defend this balancing act as nuance dictated by diplomatic and ecumenical considerations. But John Paul II did not display such nuance during his courageous struggle against communism. His forthright intensity endeared him to many in the West – many who are now disappointed with him.

"It was the Holy Father's heroic leadership in the fight against Communism that inspired me," said a correspondent named "IHSoter" to Robert Spencer's Jihad Watch Web log. "So it is extremely painful to have to criticize him. It is as if the Church, after spending a century of trying to make the faith palatable to the effete and nihilistic people of Europe, has lost the ability to confront a truly evil adversary.

"The Church has lost a profound opportunity to be an inspiration for the people in this present crisis. No Solidarity will rise up this time to show the world what a boon the Church is in regards to human liberty. The Vatican has made itself into a stumbling stone."

The writer is a Catholic free-lance author based in Fullerton, California.

I agree with the characterization of the Jihadists.

The brush applied to the bishops is a bit broad. But when you get right down to the bishops named, I'd really like to look inside their heads.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 2:22 PM   Permalink  

see Ryne McClaren

It's a sad thing that people can comment on the Argus Leader, and that other people -- goodness! -- can read these comments? What is it that Randell Beck is trying to say here? That he as a newspaper man has some sort of exclusive license to comment and report on events in South Dakota?

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 2:08 PM   Permalink  

Chaput's comments on politicians seen as swipe at Salazar

A constituency the Archdiocese of Denver has spent years courting showed signs of tension Wednesday, as some prominent Hispanic Catholics took issue with their archbishop's message that pro-choice politicians are not following their faith.

In columns in the local Catholic newspaper, Archbishop Charles Chaput - though he never mentions names - identifies a class of politician who "who claim to be Catholic and then prominently ignore their own faith on matters of public policy."

To some Hispanic Catholics, that message seems aimed at Democratic Attorney General Ken Salazar, a Catholic abortion-rights supporter running for U.S. Senate.

Among them is restaurateur Paul Sandoval, who calls the candidate "my dear friend Kenny." Sandoval counts himself part of the Catholic Hispanic community, which is now more than 20 percent of the Archdiocese of Denver.

Chaput's remarks, Sandoval said, will "crystallize Hispanics to the point they are going to be very angry that they have to choose between the church and someone who they want as a tremendous leader in the U.S. Senate. I would almost guarantee that most would fall on the side of Kenny Salazar."

Though it's impossible to say how the estimated 370,000 Catholics in the archdiocese view the controversy, several prominent Hispanic Democrats said the issue has the community buzzing.

One of them is Denver City Councilwoman Rosemary Rodriguez. She attends Chaput's 6:30 p.m. Sunday Mass, but also supports Salazar and abortion rights. She said she contributed to the archbishop's Annual Appeal and plans to keep doing so, "but people I know are thinking about (dropping) it."

But Chaput's forceful message, in which he quotes Pope John Paul II that "man cannot be separated from God, nor politics from morality," has also gotten strong support, said Sergio Gutierrez, the archbishop's spokesman.

"The feedback we've gotten from Hispanics and non-Hispanics is running 10-to-1 in support of the archbishop speaking out on public policy issues and the moral teachings of the church," Gutierrez said. He said it would violate the privacy policy of the archdiocese to supply names of supportive correspondents.

Hispanic Democrats, loyal to Salazar, surface more easily.

State Rep. Mike Garcia, a pro-choice Democrat who attends St. Therese Church in Aurora, said he "respects the archbishop's position," but calls Salazar "the best man for the job." He argues that the myriad of issues, such as health care and immigration, makes identifying a single Catholic position impossible.

State Rep. Fran Coleman, of Denver, a Hispanic Catholic with a special role as a eucharistic minister at Notre Dame Parish in Denver, supports Salazar and said she is reluctantly pro-choice. "If I try to overturn Roe v. Wade, I'll be driving abortion back into the underground," she said.

Coleman, whose birth name is Natividad, said she won't reduce her Catholic donations, but finds that things have become more uncomfortable for her.

"On a personal level, it's been troubling," she said of the archbishop's remarks. "I feel I'm being painted with a kind of a star because I'm a legislator and I'm Catholic and I don't always vote the way the archbishop would have me vote."

As for Sandoval, his nearly "five figure" donation to the church will continue, but he also will help raise $100,000 for the man he calls "Kenny."

"I have several restaurants, and I get a lot of Hispanics, and . . . they all said the archbishop should keep his nose out of politics," he said. "They're saying we want Kenny Salazar to be the first Hispanic senator in the history of this state."

Fran, the "star" is you are painting on yourself is I favor abortion over life.

The "nose" that needs to be kept out is the nose of the abortionist from the environment of unborn children.

Fran, your immortal soul is in peril for advocating abortion. Your failure to see this is the reason why you need to be reminded that you are committing a grave public sin by such advocacy.

Archbishop Chaput, help Fran repent. Help Fran by directing that she not receive Holy Communion until she repents of the sin of abortion advocacy.

Game Over.

The game played by Catholic pro-aborts since since 1973 is over. Decided either to be a Catholic or a non-Catholic.

I pray daily for the bishops to acquire the bishops to name names and require these pro-abortion politicians to choose to be Catholic or non-Catholic. It is long, long overdue.

Another blogger credit to Amy Welborn. Feel free to post comments there as well as here.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 1:32 PM   Permalink  

People Have Eyes: Americans dislike Bush's enemies more than they dislike Bush

I do not know precisely why President Bush's popularity continues high despite a month of the most relentless pounding from partisans, the press, the 9/11 commission and history itself (Fallujah, etc.) No one else knows either. Professionals will read the polls through the prism of their own expertise. Media people will say it's the cumulative effect of Mr. Bush's stirring ads. Those who agree with the president's stand on Iraq will say it's Iraq. Others may argue it's because he put tax cuts at the heart of his economic policy and the economy has begun to rebound. There is probably some truth in all of this. But my guess would be something else.

I think Mr. Bush is admired and liked after three years of war, terror, strife and recession because people have eyes.

They look at him, listen to him, and watch him every day. They can tell that George W. Bush is looking out for America. They can tell he means it. They can see his sincerity. They can tell he is doing his best. They understand his thinking because he tells them his thinking. They think he may be right. They're not sure, but at least they understand his thinking.

It's not all about Bush's image. Bush has defined himself. He defends America. The enemies of America hate Bush and speak out against him.

Kerry's embrace of the language used by the enemies of America and his lack of definition is going to be his undoing.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 11:13 AM   Permalink  

Is there any evidence that the bishops are doing anything that will impact 2004?

Washington Times: Bishops to pressure Catholic politicians (12/4/2003)

As the 2004 election season heats up, certain candidates might be looking over their shoulders at an unlikely special-interest group: the U.S. Catholic bishops.

America's 275 active bishops are gearing up a new task force that could bring Catholic politicians in line in a way not seen before in American politics.

Announced at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops annual meeting last month [November 2003], it is headed by Washington Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick. The task force will produce guidelines on how to deal with recalcitrant politicians.

Ready on November 10, 2004?

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:27 AM   Permalink  

Weekly Standard, Joseph Bottum: John Kerry, in the Catholic Tradition

Now, 44 years after Kennedy--76 years after Smith--the Democratic party has nominated its third Catholic for president. And it seems safe to bet the number of votes from people like my grandmother that John Kerry will receive solely for his Catholicism should equal just about zero. The number of votes he will lose should total around the same.

Never was there a less Catholic moment in American politics.

Excellent article which keeps the focus on Kerry. Too often I'm shifting outrage between Kerry himself and the do-nothing bishops.

Blogger credit to Amy Welborn for noticing that the Weekly Standard moved it into the free area of the site. As a subscriber to WS I didn't notice the move.

By the way, he's not nominated yet. Kerry may yet have his Dean moment.

If the next few months are spectacularly bad for Bush, giving the Democrats more hope of a November victory, expect the Clintonistas to insure that Kerry has his meltdown and the only ready-to-go national figure is Hillary Rodham Clinton.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 8:35 AM   Permalink  

A 2003 concern - lower coffee prices

Catholic Reflections on Food, Farmers, and Farmworkers

We have learned that more than half of the coffee industry?s permanent labor force has lost their jobs as world coffee prices plummeted, affecting tens of thousands of workers and farmers throughout Central America.

The Challenge of Peace

Technology acts as a two-edged [sic] sward in the nuclear competition; some technological changes (e.g., Permissive Action Links) contribute to increasing control of nuclear weapons; other developments (e.g., MIRVing) have had a long-term destabilizing impact. Since 1983, developments in missile accuracy, anti-satellite weapons and stealth technology have continued the bivalent influence of technology on the arms race.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 9:54 PM   Permalink  

Earl Appleby, Jr. of Times Against Humanity, Jeff and Chris are watching John Forbes Kerry, Catholic in Name Only and presumptive third Catholic to be nominated for President of the United States.

So, add CatholicKerryWatch to your blogroll.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 9:14 PM   Permalink  

AP: DVD War Looms As Advancements Get Closer

The DVD stands out as one of the most rapidly adopted consumer technologies ever, but in the electronics industry it's akin to an aging king in Shakespearean drama - rivals are lurking, knives drawn.

Just as consumers are beginning to get comfortable with their DVD players, electronics manufacturers are set to introduce next-generation discs that store more - and would be harder to copy.

VHS vs. Beta: I was in college.

Plenty of other format wars, but the stakes are very high for this one.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 12:26 AM   Permalink  

AP: 'Gladiators' Mark Rome's Anniversary

Hundreds of fans of ancient Rome dressed up as gladiators and marched by the ruins of the forums Sunday to mark the birthday of the city, which legend says was founded on April 21 2,757 years ago.

The actual anniversary is Wednesday, but the "gladiators," armed with spears and sporting helmets, turned out to stroll down Via dei Fori Imperiali, which is closed to traffic on Sundays.

The boulevard leads to the Colosseum, Rome's monument which hosted bloody gladiatorial combat to the thrill of the masses in the city's ancient days of glory.

For a follow-up, secularists and Muslims are rounding up a sufficient number of Christians and lions in order to recreate the popular entertainment of the Imperial period.

My ISP, Road Runner has a very cool video that goes along with this story. I couldn't find an external link for it. The pictures over at Yahoo are good.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 11:45 PM   Permalink  

O! Canada!

Lifesite: Canadian Bishops Give Fuzzy Direction to Catholics On How to Vote in Federal Election

Once Again "Social Justice" Pre-Occupied CCCB Does Not Give First Priority to Life and Moral Issues Stands of Candidates

OTTAWA, April 20, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - With a federal election on the horizon, Canadian Catholics are being encouraged to weigh the issues carefully, be inspired by the Church's moral and social teachings and to exercise their right to vote which is an important responsibility for the common good of society.

The invitation is contained in a new document entitled Election 2004: Responsibility and Discernment issued by the Social Affairs Commission of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB).

While the CCCB guide underscores such important issues as abortion, euthanasia, and cloning in deciding on a candidate, it stops short of mandating that under no circumstances should faithful Catholics be voting for a politician who will promote the killing of numerous humans through abortion, euthanasia, cloning, or fetal stem cell research.

The omission is especially disturbing because of the past four decades of leading involvement by Canadian Catholic politicians in the advancement of anti-life and anti-family government policies in Canada. Under these 'Catholic' politicians Canada has also been a leading and unfortunately very effective advocate of attacks on life and family at the international level, especially advocating the imposition of its ruthless agenda on poor Third World nations.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 10:12 PM   Permalink  

Moqtada Sadr's urging his forces not to attack the Spanish has got to be a great humiliation for the Spanish military.

The United States sufferred the same humiliation in leaving Mogadishu and of course that only emboldened the terrorists of the word to consider the United States a nation that would fold at the first sign of blood.

The battle of Andalusia will has begun.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 6:14 PM   Permalink  

I blog all the stories of infanticide because it is a serious problem that many seem to have simply become numb to. This story of a dead girl found in a garbage truck from September 2003 is the story that today's item refers to.

1010 WINS: Reporter hopes to return to work.

A local television reporter who woke from a 57-day coma last fall hopes to return to work within two months.

Rebecca Spitz, 32, slipped into unconsciousness last September, after she was struck in the head by the mirror of a passing van while reporting a story. She covered Manhattan for cable news channel NY1.

"I want to go back to work in the same capacity," she told The New York Post for Sunday editions.

Since emerging from the coma in November, Spitz said she had had to teach herself how to write, stand and walk again. She uses a cane and has been in physical therapy to regain her strength.

"I won't accept anything less than a full recovery," she told the Post.

The accident happened a day before her parents were to throw her an engagement party. The driver of the van was not charged.

She will marry this July, she said.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 9:03 AM   Permalink  

Keynote Speaker: Jim Koch, Brewer and Founder, The Boston Beer Company, Sam Adams Beer™

I'm tempted to go the conference just to ask him if there were any lessons learned by signing off on a advertising campaign that encouraged a couple to have sexual intercourse in St. Patrick's Cathedral on live radio.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 7:12 PM   Permalink  

• News news on the death of Fr. Minkler and the diocese of Albany.

• More reasons to despair: things are NOT going to be getting better in the Archdiocese of New York.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 5:27 PM   Permalink  

What Next? Will we have a political reporter to cover John Forbes Kerry at each Sunday Mass from now to November? Will there be a Holy Communion beat? A wafer watch?

One of the more unseemly stories of the Easter weekend hovered around the controversy over Kerry and Catholicism. The intra-church debates about whether a prochoice, pro-civil union Kerry could consider himself a good Catholic ratcheted up into a public spectacle about whether he would step up to the altar and whether a priest would offer him the sacrament.

I've been calling it "Apb. O'Malley watch": Waiting for him to direct priests, deacons, and extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist not to offer the Holy Eucharist to Kerry without a public repentance.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 4:25 PM   Permalink  

John F. Kerry, facing criticism from some Roman Catholics for his views on abortion and other social issues, met yesterday with the head of a task force examining possible sanctions for politicians who stray from the church's teachings.

On Sunday, Kerry took Communion at an Easter Mass in Boston despite a warning from the city's archbishop, Sean P. O'Malley, that political figures should not seek the sacrament if they support abortion rights, as does the senator.

McCarrick spokeswoman Susan Gibbs said the 45-minute session at the pastoral center in Hyattsville, Md., was a private pastoral meeting.

Which Kerry sought to draw public attention to.

While she would not discuss the subject matter, she reiterated McCarrick's belief that "we are to be clear in our teaching, and the faithful are called to understand and live the teaching."

What teaching is that, Ms. Gibbs? So what clear teaching is it that we are called to understand and live?

At the same time, she added: "Cardinal McCarrick would be reluctant to use the Eucharist as a sanction."

"Sanction" is the duck word for Canon 915.

Its meaning is inherently equivocal, which fits the rhetorical needs of the gutless bishops.

The Eucharist is not being "used" by the bishops and other Catholic who see a need to preserve the Eucharist from sacrilege.

The Eucharist is being "used" by Kerry to give the appearance of his being a good Catholic. He proclaims "if I were as bad as my Catholic critics say, why does the Church still give me Holy Communion?"

Canon 915. Those who are excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion. "Manifest grave sin" here being the political support for abortion.

Cardinal McCarrick and others would like to keep the lines blurred.

Kerry is pushing the bishops to confront the pro-abortion Catholic politicians -- as they should have since 1973. It is long overdue.

Jesus said "I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners" (Luke 5:32).

Stop ducking and start calling.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 2:47 PM   Permalink  

Fox News: Kerry Aims to Define Candidacy

On Wednesday [April 14], during a question-and-answer session at an event at City College of New York, Kerry was challenged by a questioner who said there was little difference between Kerry and Bush on the war.

Retired college professor Walter Daum angrily accused the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee of backing an imperialist policy in Iraq and called on him to demand the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops.

"You voted for this," Daum shouted. As he spoke, a group stood silently and unfurled a large sign that read, "Kerry take a stand: Troops out now."

Exasperated, Kerry said at one point, "You're not listening."

also see Michael P. Tremoglie: Who is Walter Daum?

DAUM: You have said, "Stay the course." George Bush calls the people there "thugs;" you call them "extremists." But they hated Saddam Hussein, and they now hate us. They wanted Saddam Hussein out. Now they want the United States out. And you say, "Stay the course." What the United States is doing is bombing hospitals, bombing mosques, sniping at civilians, killing hundreds of civilians, wounding thousands of civilians. And you say, "Stay the course." Is that the criminal course that you want to stay? This is an imperialist country that's fighting an imperialist war. You say, "Stay the course of this imperialist war," and you say you are a stark difference from George Bush. People hate George Bush. By the end of your presidency people will hate you for the same thing. You may fool some of the Americans that you are different from George Bush on this war, but you're not fooling most of the world and you're not going to fool Iraqis.

The answer from Kerry was an arrogant "You're not listening" and Daum answered "Yes, sir. I am."

Rush Limbaugh mentioned that the AP did not carry any of the question and answer dialog and left it with Kerry's reply to the "heckler" -- "I wouldn't follow the same course Bush has".

Rush's point was that ths shows Democratic disunity.

My point is that it was disgraceful for Kerry not to challenge the premises in the accusation that Kerry would just be another Bush. Kerry gave an answer on auto-pilot. Rush got to this point:

So, this guy's just ripped (Kerry) into pieces and thrown him up against the wall, and Kerry does not address the specifics of what the guy says, does not defend the action that we're taking, does not defend the country against this charge of murdering civilians, wounding civilians, and all this other stuff that was included. Instead he says [Kerry sing-song voice:] "I have consistently been critical of how we got there, but we're there, sir, and it would be unwise beyond belief for the United States of America to..." and this Walter Daum is sitting there pulling his hair out.

I think this could have been a "Sister Souljah" moment where Kerry could have distanced himself from the lunatic fringe Democrats. (for an excellent definition of the term see The Free Dictionary

So Kerry went on auto-pilot and couldn't think on his feet because he couldn't respond to the charges of atrocities of the Amercian armed forces without alientating the "Moveon.org" crowd who love these kinds of charges or enraging the active-duty, veterans, families, etc. of the Gulf War and the Iraq War.

The media gave Kerry a pass on this one. Conservative talk radio didn't.

posted by Patrick Sweeney at 1:42 PM   Permalink